I’d like to bring everyone’s attention to Br. Yursil’s latest post. He highlights a most beautiful saying by one shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaraghi, an 18th/19th century scholar from the North Caucasus region, speaking out against the Russian incursions of the time:
"Go to the mosques, weep and pray in repentance, shake dreams from your eyes and God will forgive you and restore you to the righteous path and arm you for great deeds.
Then [after purification of their souls] Almighty God will reinforce you for the battle against the kaafir. Azrail will fly over the Russian troops, their bayonets and cannons will not be dangerous to you and you will learn that God has more power than any earthly tsar.
You must be ready when the hour comes and you are called to battle. God will give me a sign when this day has arrived and I will tell you. Meanwhile, pray and weep."
I was particularly intrigued by the timing of the quote since over the past few days, my recent Pakistan post has spurred an interesting conversation in the comments section, with one brother calling on us to quit all this nonsense chit-chatting and do something more constructive.
My response to Young Skywalker was for us to focus first and foremost on personal rectification. Our automatic response to our problems is to jump into action and implement whatever solutions our minds can construct. The Ummah has fallen into a scientific worldview which sees everything as a worldly cause and effect. Change can only come from action, we boldly declare.
Sadly we have shifted from tawakkul (trust) in Allah (swt) to relying on our actions. While we say and preach that all results are from Allah (swt), our actions speak otherwise.
Our highest goal must be to work towards refined souls focused on achieving that state of Ihsan. These souls will then become the divinely inspired fountains from which all our actions will flow.
But I must add that there needs to always be a component of action to supplement this internal cleansing process. That is why I was so impressed with the approach of Sh. Al-Yaraghi. He wasn’t simply calling for an open-ended purification of the soul. He had a long term goal which integrated the corporal with the spiritual.
How come we are forced to choose between the two extremes? We either have politically oriented groups like the Jamati Islami or the Ikhwan, whose idea of tarbiyya (self-improvement) is to learn Fiqh-us-Sunna, or we have Sufi groups who solely focus on the spiritual, leaving the political to scoundrels and the like.
Where are the Sh. Al-Yaraghi’s of our time?
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17 comments:
AA
"Sadly we have shifted from tawakkul (trust) in Allah (swt) to relying on our actions. While we say and preach that all results are from Allah (swt), our actions speak otherwise."
It is a hadith of the Prophet (SAW): "Tie your camel [action] and THEN trust in Allah."
WA
AA -
Maybe we need to improve our dental hygiene.
Or trust in Allah AND obey his commandments. Like not dealing in interest, to just start with a really huge thing that is disturbingly widespread.
Maybe things are improving? I know I don't have the best longitudinal outlook on the Muslim world, but in the past few decades hasn't there been a surge of interest in practicing Islam properly in all parts of the world?
Or how is this: I want to help--what can I do?
Salamu'alaykum
I believe the Sufi Shaykhs of today, like the Sufi Shaykhs such as Shaykh Yaraghi (R), do indeed have long term corporal goals. Its just held and conveyed in very subtle ways, a necessity of the time.
AA- Amy,
"but in the past few decades hasn't there been a surge of interest in practicing Islam properly in all parts of the world? "
Define practicing Islam? Donning the hijab or regularly attending the masjid or calling for an Islamic state is not the resurgence that is needed.
As I stated in the post, we need to readjust our mindset and stop thinking from the worldly cause/effect stance and shift our focus back to the heavenly reliance.
"I want to help--what can I do?"
A friend once told me of a young spunky brother who was constantly calling to action, whether it was Palestine or Afghanistan or Iraq. My friend responded by suggesting that the brother wake up for tahajjud and make sincere prayer for the oppressed for one week straight and then talk about action. Suffice it to say, the brother couldn't even comply with that simple request. 'You talk of jihad and you can't even leave your bed to shed tears to your Lord in the middle of the night', my friend countered.
What revolution can we bring about when we aren't even willing to revolutionalize our own selves??
My answer to anyone asking 'what can I do' is to reform yourself, sincerely. Only then, Allah (swt) will open doors to action.
'Meanwhile pray and weep' as Sh. Al-Yaraghi concluded in his quote.
Salaam Naeem,
I think what you suggest through the quote is the most basic and the most perfect solution for any self-analysis and revolution. There has to be an Islamic reformation - without it there is chaos everywhere. The only Muslim states that are flourishing are those that are oil rich and have rejected 'politically oriented groups.'
Once I witnessed a long debate between a group of people who spoke on how politics cannot be detached from religion (Islam) and I disagreed but I can see sense in it. I wouldn't want extremist laws like in some countries but Islam should shape politics and related laws.
I see so much sense in this post. Impressive!
AA- Anon,
First of all, its important to quote the entire hadith:
One day Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bedouin, "Why don't you tie down your camel?" The Bedouin answered, "I put my trust in Allah." The Prophet then said, "Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah." (Tirmidhi).
The Prophet was responding to an individual who was solely relying on his trust in Allah (swt), in the spirit of true fatalism. My critique is of those who solely rely on their actions. So, how is your quoting this hadith relevant?
From my understanding, trust in Allah is a state of being which should permeate all our actions (before, during, and after). Thus when planning an action, performing it, and awaiting its outcome, we fully realize that the results are not from us, but from Allah (swt).
With that mindset, the action (as important as it is) becomes peripheral to the intent and spirit with which it was carried out.
nice post..but i do disagree on one point..i think the ikhwan are spiritual. its not completely cut and dry. the sufis on the other hand..i feel like they don't take the religion with all its components..its almost like they like to pick lovey dovey things or harsh things one can do to their own soul to rectify and 'elevate it' .. like make dhikr 4354 million times in one time..or that your sheikh can see through your soul etc..(i am exxagerating at some level and at some level..i'm not :0( if you really know about the uglines of sufim yu'd know).
but yeh the ikhwan can be too political and just it becomes all about the ORGANIZATION and at that point it gets cut and dry.
i joined a halaqa in a group in the US..that is often tied to Ikhwan..if yu'v lived in the US...yu'd know who. namely our lovely brothren from MAS..but then after a year..the MAS rhetoric got too much and all i felt like we were gona study was dawah and group work so i was like dude..i didnt join this so i could become part of a 'GROUP' and just brainwashed into MAS MAS MAS MAS MAS. so i left :-/
Dear Brother Naeem,
AA
Firstly let’s try to stick to references from Quran and Sunnah instead of comments from scholars and Shaykhs.
“Our highest goal must be to work towards refined souls focused on achieving that state of Ihsan”
I would disagree with this statement and say that our highest goal is to establish the Deen of Allah. Refining our souls is a means to achieve that goal. In the Quran, Allah has said to us on three different occasions “He is the one who sent his Prophet with guidance and the right Deen (religion of truth) so He makes it prevail over all religions” (deen being the complete system of life). This has been repeated in Surah Al Fatah, (48:28) Surah Tuaba (9:33) and Surah Saff (61:9). At this point in time the Islamic system or way of life has not even been established in any part of the world let alone being the prevailing system.
“How come we are forced to choose between the two extremes?”
I don’t think that the Jamat-e-islami or Ikhwan groups are extremes – they contain both the spiritual and the political aspects of our Deen. How are you defining spirituality?
Purification is not such an absolute that a certain level must be achieved before any action can be taken. Purification must be a continual part of ones life and be done in conjunction with actions. Purification on its own without any action is just as extreme as action without a continual self-assessment and improvement.
Let’s pray that Allah give us the true understanding of our Deen and let’s take some action to make this world better.
Lots of love and take care!
Pir baba from Model Town
AA- Anon1,
"i think the ikhwan are spiritual. its not completely cut and dry."
Yes, I am aware that Hassan al-Banna was a deeply spiritual person (he was even part of a Sufi Tariqa). However, I still find their approach to tazkiyya to be very lacking. Its clear from their methodology that the self is secondary - as you mentioned, its all about the organization.
"the sufis on the other hand..i feel like they don't take the religion with all its components..its almost like they like to pick lovey dovey things or harsh things one can do to their own soul to rectify and 'elevate it' .. like make dhikr 4354 million times in one time..or that your sheikh can see through your soul etc.."
When I refer to Sufi-styled groups, I'm referring to those who adhere to a traditional understanding of the deen - not any of those new-age groups calling themselves Sufi.
Sufi groups are not only about dhikr and hadra. The ones I have been exposed to are about self-reform in accordance to a sound, valid understanding of the Quran and Sunnah.
"i didnt join this so i could become part of a 'GROUP' and just brainwashed into MAS MAS MAS MAS MAS. so i left"
So now what? Isn't it sad that our options are so limited?
AA- Pir Baba,
"Firstly let’s try to stick to references from Quran and Sunnah instead of comments from scholars and Shaykhs."
Sure, why not, cause we know how those pesky scholars and shaykhs are all about fulling their own whims and desires, foresaking the Quran and Sunnah whenever possible, right?
"In the Quran, Allah has said to us on three different occasions “He is the one who sent his Prophet with guidance and the right Deen (religion of truth) so He makes it prevail over all religions” (deen being the complete system of life). This has been repeated in Surah Al Fatah, (48:28) Surah Tuaba (9:33) and Surah Saff (61:9)."
I'm not of the school of thought that subscribes to hadith-hurling and verse-slinging. I find that approach to be very problematic.
For example, I can counter with verses that highlight the importance of purifying the nafs ("But those will prosper who purify themselves" 87:14, "Truly he succeeds that purifies it" 91:9) or the need for a sound heart ("But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart" 26:89). And there are countless other verses on Ihsan...
What has that accomplished?
"At this point in time the Islamic system or way of life has not even been established in any part of the world let alone being the prevailing system."
Is the Islamic system purely a political solution?
"Purification on its own without any action is just as extreme as action without a continual self-assessment and improvement."
When did I ever propose to focus solely on purification?
"I don’t think that the Jamat-e-islami or Ikhwan groups are extremes – they contain both the spiritual and the political aspects of our Deen."
Listen, these groups have tried their politics-first approach for several decades with nothing to show for it. Why not try a more balanced tactic (as Sh. Al-Yaraghi's quote presents), preparing ourselves for the day when we're called to stand up for real change?
I live in the virginia area and I'd be interested to know what traditional sufi groups sticking to Quran and authetic sunnah you were exposed to.
Id be interested in attending something of that type.
AA- Anon,
In the VA area, you can contact the brothers running the Al-Madina Institute:
http://almadina.wordpress.com/
Habib Zain Bin Sumayt - A great Shafi’i scholar, a resident of Madinah, encyclopedia of knowledge, and a renowned friend of Allah. Habib Zain will bless us with words of advice while we are in the city of the Prophet (alayhi wa aalihi assalam).
i'm the anonymous who you replied to w/ the website link. The above is something I read on there. What do they mean by 'friend of Allah'. If I'm correct they mean walli of Allah, and from what I know you can't claim someone is the wali of Allah. Isn't that a kind of typical issue with sufis?
AA- Anon,
"What do they mean by 'friend of Allah'."
My understanding of that term is more as a sign of respect for a man of great spiritual stature.
"from what I know you can't claim someone is the wali of Allah."
Based on what are you saying that? Besides, such a claim, in the end, is just that - a claim. Nothing more, nothing less. So what's the problem, I ask.
"Isn't that a kind of typical issue with sufis?"
Not sure what you mean.
Finally, you may get a more enlightened answer from those running the Al-Madina website.
Well if someone claims that x or y is the wali of Allah, isn't it on them to prove their claim?
the reason im saying this is because often times with sufis it doesnt stop with a wali claim or this or that, it goes on dreams and then a little bit of this and that.
so then i thought you said they're upon the authentic quran and sunnah. but the sahaba werent going around claiming so and so is the wali of Allah w/o proof?
my issue remains. no organization near me to be part of. :-/
With Newtown came the mechanical/deterministic model of the universe. The embracing of this model by the West gave it an edge in science and technology which eventually led to military superiority and great means of production of goods.
Sadly, Muslims relied extensively on the un-mechanical and hence un-deterministic model - the model that says things only happen "when Allah wills it."
Either model taken alone is faulty.
In Western paradigm this deterministic idea is taken to an extreme. One manifestation of this is that the moment an individual, a team or a company succeeds, "experts" start explaining away the reasons for their success. As if such sucess was deterministically predictable. Lately, this approach is coming under some much needed criticism. I highly recommend
> Nassim Nicholas Taleb's Fooled by Randomness.
In traditional societies, the other model was taken to an extreme. The concept that "success comes only when Allah wills it" was corrupted to the exclusion of worrying about causal relationships. Evidence of the flawed nature of this interpretation is amply manifested in the streets of Karachi and Cairo.
Which brings me to my central thesis. The real problem in today's world is the absence of moderation.
The great Shaykh seems to have gotten it right - it's not all weeping all night alone that'd save us from tyranny of tyrants, nor would an approach that relies exclusively on standing in the battlefield against tyrants.
I tip my kufi to you for hitting the bulls eye on this post. You is good!
AA- Ma-Teachah,
"Which brings me to my central thesis. The real problem in today's world is the absence of moderation."
Glad you were able to understand *my* central thesis. :-P
"I tip my kufi to you for hitting the bulls eye on this post. You is good!"
Only as good as ma teachah! ;-)
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